Best Practices for Mobile Business Intelligence

Agenda  Mobile Business Intelligence Considerations  Different Information Access Options  Information Builders Mobile Strategy  What type of applications should I target?  Design Best Practices Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 2

Business Discovery Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 3

allow the right person to ask and answer the necessary questions at the appropriate time. Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 4 mobile delivery of BI is all about practical, tactical information needed to make immediate decisions

So you’re thinking about going Mobile….  Who am I’m going to be providing the information too?  What device do they have? What device WILL they have? What level of connectivity will they have?  What information would provide value if it was available via a mobile device?  Improve Productivity, Agility, Transparency and Collaboration  What additional questions would need to be asked of that information now that it is available? (what level of interactivity is required)  How am I going to expose the information?  What are the security considerations?  What content can I see, what data do I have rights to?  How can I leverage my existing assets?  Hardware, software, skills, etc. Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 5

Target Mobile BI User  Not typically an Information Producer  Information Consumer  Big picture at a glance on the go  Executive Level  Management Level  Information Collaborator – Maximum Value  Use information to support and drive a conversation  Project/Team Lead  Field Personnel Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 6

Target Mobile BI Data  Information in the context of applications — not in pushing lots of data to somebody's phone or tablet.  Focused on the near-term data rather than long term data.  Timely and Available Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 7

Information Accessibility - Push, Pull, (in)Put, and Search  Push Information on a schedule or alert driven basis  Pull information on demand  Data Collection/Entry Applications  Bring “Google” Like Experience to Mobile Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 8

More than just an software independent Vendor Historical - Business Intelligence Perspective  First…  Platform Independent (Hardware, Network, OS, Protocol)  Database Independent Present - Business Intelligence Perspective  First…  Browser Independent  Device Independent Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 9 Philosophy

Copyright 2011, Information Builders. Slide 10  Native Apps: Developed using OS SDK; Installed to run natively on the device; Leverage OS functionality.  Web Apps: Web pages conforming to OS UI and behavior.  Optimized Web Pages: Content scales appropriately to device size.  Compatible Web Pages: Display content as is without Optimizing for form factor.  Hybrid Approach: Combine native UI with web content via content viewing area. Mobile Deployment Strategies

Copyright 2011, Information Builders. Slide 11  WebFOCUS Mobile Strategy:  Device independent BI solutions  Develop once, run from anywhere  Highly interactive, device exploitive Web Apps with built in analytic capabilities  Embed BI Web Apps in custom applications  Common BI security framework  Read and write access  No additional hardware, software required  WebFOCUS Mobile Components:  Mobile Favorites (portal)  Mobile Faves (os app)  Active Technologies  WebFOCUS Maintain  …and more (e.g.: Self-Service access) Any Device, Any Form Factor, Any Platform

Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 12 Mobile Faves for iPad and iPhone  Native Apple App for consumption of WF BI (and other content)  (just like client – no training required)  Provides controlled access to WebFOCUS content through:  Mobile Faves portal (normal “pull”)  attachments (“Open in Mobile Faves”)  Watch-list Feeds (automatic “push”)  Online viewing of any WF content  Allows saving, ing, search and cataloging of stand-alone content  Active Technologies or PDF documents  Identical app on iPad and iPhone  Provides Guides, Videos and Help Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 12

What type of applications should I target? Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 13 Resource Utilization/Allocation Streamline Processes Enable CollaborationOutward Facing - Transparency

Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 14 Enable Collaboration Fact based conversations Streamline Process Supply inventory information to truck drivers Easy, Relevant Timely Information Drives Execution

Information Builders and Mobile Computing Mobile Customers  NASA Launch Vehicle Processing Directorate used WebFOCUS Active Technology to create reports for an emergency notification system  Dealer Services Corporation (DSC), Large finance provider for used automobiles. Mobile app serves field staff with financial metrics via WebFOCUS Active Reports/Dashboards (support all devices)  City of Richardson TX - PD, Use WebFOCUS to create a mobile reporting environment that delivers crime data to police using their Blackberry devices officers can track active 911 calls  AJ Logistics, a premier provider of custom warehousing and logistics services, WebFOCUS application lets clients track multiple projects, obtain status updates & issue commands via any mobile devices Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 15

Mobile BI Best Practices  Avoid Dashboard Proliferation and Rework  Build Once, Deploy Anywhere  Design for the smaller form factor  Put most important content in the upper left  Legends use valuable real estate  Leverage micro charts, stop lighting  Design for on the go use  Intuitive Drill Paths  Don’t over prompt  Here and Now Metrics  Leave Back Office Analytics back in the office Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 16

Dan Grady Information Builders WebFOCUS Dashboards Your business. No barriers.

Agenda  Why should I deploy a Dashboard?  What approach would be best for my target audience?  Dashboard Demonstrations  Dashboard Best Practices Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 18

Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 19 The Value Of A Picture A man with a broom is standing sideways on the wall of a brownish-orange building. There are potted trees and plants near by. Several windows can be seen – one at street level, one approximately 6 feet from the ground the other at ten feet. Each of the windows are guarded by black wrought-iron fencing. A Lamp post is seen directly behind the horizontal man.

Dashboard The Goal The Goal: o to effectively communicate information o to provide a gateway to all of your information assets

Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 21 Analyst WebFOCUS Dashboard Flexibility for Target Audience Executive Unknown Employee Active Dashboards Performance Management Dashboards Flex Dashboards Custom Dashboards Analytical Dashboards Geographic Dashboards Real Time Dashboards

WebFOCUS Custom Dashboards/Mashup Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 22 Characteristics: Provides a snapshot of your business at a glance Multiple data sources and visualization techniques  No training required  Potential Audience: All

WebFOCUS Analytical Dashboards Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 23 Characteristics: Uncovers anomalies in large amounts of data Helps you focus in on problems not otherwise detectable  Color, isolation, and detailed visualizations  In Memory Data Discovery  Target Audience: Analysts and Back Office(most of the time)

WebFOCUS Active Dashboards – Portable Dashboards Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 24 Characteristics:  Ideal for mobile applications or employees on-the-go  No connection required  Empowers users with self-contained analytical capabilities  Target Audience: All (Particularly, users that spend the majority of their time in the field.)

WebFOCUS Flex Dashboards Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 25 Characteristics:  Access any data, anywhere via Flex graphics  Rich, visual graphics, dynamic “tweens”. High level of “stickiness”  Target Audience: Customer/Public Facing Applications

WebFOCUS Geographic Dashboards Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 26 Characteristics: Bi-directional interactivity between reports and maps (ESRI, Google Maps, Bing)  Recognize opportunities by layering content on a map.  Target Audience: All, ESRI tends to be more Back Office and Analyst

WebFOCUS Performance Management Dashboards Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 27 Characteristics: Communicate organizational strategy and performance  Most effective display of performance metrics  Helps users convert lagging into leading indicators  Target Audience: Entire Organization(eventually)

WebFOCUS Real Time Dashboards Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 28 Characteristics: Designed to support more immediate decisions Target Audience: Operational Employees, Call Centers, Hospitals

Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 29 Demonstration WebFOCUS Dashboards in Action

Dashboards “Top Five” Common Mistakes in Dashboard Design  Exceeding the boundaries of a single screen  If you have to scroll, it’s time to re-design  Supplying inadequate context for data  A “chart” shows sales are at $57,863, but is the value good? bad? Are we on track? Are we doing better than we have in the past?  Displaying excessive detail or precision  $3,687, vs 3.7M  Choosing inappropriate display media  Don’t be afraid to experiment  Pie chart, Line chart, Bar chart, etc…  Not planning for the users next move  Now that they can see more they’ll want to know why Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 30

Dashboards Best Practices  It’s all about communication  Dashboard users want to understand simply, clearly and quickly  Understand your audience  How sophisticated are they?  Too much complexity can lead to low usability  Less is more  Include only what you absolutely need  Don’t deliver information in fragments  Answering “What” is fine, but being empowered to answer “Why” is so much better Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 31

Dashboards Best Practices Copyright 2007, Information Builders. Slide 32